Geronimo Stilton: Secret Agent
by NZFandomPrincess96
Summary: New series where the characters of Geronimo Stilton are all human. This is strongly based on the book: Geronimo Stilton: Secret Agent.
1. Chapter 1

Geronimo Stilton: Secret Agent

 **AN: I absouletley adore the childrens' series Geronimo Stilton. I also find that rewritting stories with animals as humans a very clever idea indeed. So, I thought I'd write this book with a humanized twist. Hope you enjoy it.**

 **SJS**

 **Part One- A Suspicious-Looking Man**

That morning was like any other morning. I woke and smelled the soup- leek and potato, that is. I like to make a whole pot of soup on cold days. Then I stuffed my feet into my comfy tiger-print slippers. I shuffled to the window to check the weather. The forecast was for rain. But when I looked outside, I just saw lots of clouds. Clouds, and a very suspicious-looking man with dark sunglasses across the street. How odd.

I took a shower and gobbled down my breakfast- melted butter on toast. Yum! Then I headed for the subway. I was humming one of my favourite love songs, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" when I saw him again. That same suspicious-looking man with the sunglasses was walking right behind me. How strange. A few minutes later, I arrived at my stop. I hurried out the door. Guess who was right on my tail? You got it, Mr. Dark Sunglasses. How very odd!

At last, I reached my office at 17 New York Place. I couldn't believe it. Mr. Sunglasses had beaten me there. I was starting to get a little creeped out. A chill ran down my spine. What did he want from me? Why was he following me? Part of me was afriand to find out. What if he mistook me for an escaped con man? What if I reminded him of someone he didn't like? What if he hated my tie? I decided there was only one thing left to do. I raced up the stairs to my office and slammed the door. Then I buried my face in my work.

But when I looked out the window at lunchtime, guess who I saw? Yep, it was that man again! He was there when I left the office. He was there when I reached my house. He was there after I scarfed down a super-size meatlovers pizza for dinner. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I just had to find out who that man was. With a cry, I yanked open the door to my house. Then I stuck my face and yelled, "WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?"

 **Part Two- Don't You Recognize Me?**

Even though I was screaming at the top of my lungs, the man barely flinched. Instead he calmly took off his sunglasses and smiled. Or was it a smirk? How strange! The man looked so familiar. Was it the trench coat? Was it the hands in the pockets? Was it the perfectly groomed hair? I touched a hand to my own head. Hmm... my hair was getting a little long. I made a mental note to make an appointment at the salon. I was still thinking about haircuts when the man suddenly tapped me on the forehead. He stared into my eyes.

Good heavens! Was he trying to hypnotize me? I'd read about bad men like this. First they put you under a spell. Then they break into your home and steal all your money. The man's beady eyes seemed to drill right into me. I was so nervous I could barely see straight. I tried practicing the deep-breathing techniques I had learned in a yoga class. They didn't work. I guess I was paying enough attention in class.

Just then, the man leaned in closer. I broke out in a cold sweat. _This is it,_ I mumbled to myself. _Good bye, world._

But instead of hypnotizing me, the man snickered. "Don't you recognize me, Geronimo?" he said. "It's Kornelius von Kickburn."

I could hardly believe my eyes. The last time I'd seen Kornelius, I was still learning how to do math and tie my shoes. We were friends in elementary school!

 **Part Three- A Guy Wearing A Trench Coat**

In school, Kornelius sat in the desk behind me. He always wore a trench coat no matter what the weather was like. And he always wore dark sunglasses even when it wasn't sunny!

Yes, he was an odd sort of bloke, but we were good friends anyway. One time, Wendell Wilde and his gang stuffed me into a gym locker. Kornelius came to my rescue. He ripped open the locker and made Wendell apologize. After that, the bullies never picked on me again. I always felt safe when Kornelius was around.

I smiled thinking about those days. Even though we hadn't spoken in years, Kornelius would always be a great friend. Do you have any friends like Kornelius? If you do, you are very lucky. As my dear aunt Sweet Sugarplum likes to say, "Whoever finds a friend... finds a treasure."

I invited Kornelius into my house. Then I showed him around. It didn't take very long. My home isn't very big. Still, I'm super proud of it. I especially love my kitchen with my mega huge fridge. While we were in the kitchen, I whipped up some tasty ham and cheese sandwiches. Kornelius munched them down in two seconds flat. Did I mention he's a big guy? Finally, we sat down in my living room to chat. We had so much catching up to do. We talked about old times, old friends, and my job at _The New York Gazette._

"So what kind of work do you do, Kornelius?" I asked. My friend held up a hand. "It's top secret," he whispered. "You have to promise you won't tell anyone."

I gasped. Why was my friend being so mysterious? Was he a professional burglar? Was he in the witness-protection program?

"I promise," I agreed, eyes wide.

Kornelius put an arm around my shoulder. Then he leaned in close and whispered, "My code name is 00K. I'm a secret agent.

 **AN: Hope you enjoy this. I'm doing more than one chapter in the book per chapter, because otherwise this story's chapters would be very short indeed.**


	2. Chapter 2

The Von KickBurn Estate

 **Part Four- The Von KickBurn Estate**

I was convinced that Kornelius was pulling my leg. I mean, I'd seen secret agents before in the movies, but not in New York City.

"I'm not acting, Geronimo," my friend insisted. He drove me to his mansion in the country. On the way there, Kornelius explained that he was involved with secret missions for the government of New York Island. At last, we reached the mansion. What a sight! I knew my friend was rich, but this place was more spectacular than Elvis Presley's estate! The property was surrounded by a gleaming wrought-iron gate with the letters VK inscribed at the entrance. The driveway wound its way past a perfectly manicured lawn. I spotted a greenhouse, tennis courts, and a stable for horses.

The inside of the mansion was almost as amazing as the outside. The entryway was made of white marble. Two magnificent gold and diamond-studded chandeliers glimmered over our heads. And there was even a fountain shaped like two swans in the hallway. Kornelius ushered me into the living room. It was filled with priceless antiques. Paintings by famous artists decorated the walls. I stared at a painting of a gorgeous woman hanging above tge fireplace. Wow, what a stunning woman! I couldn't take my eyes off her.

"That's my sister, Veronica," said Kornelius. "She's a secret agent, too. Her code name is 00V."

Just then, I sensed something behind me. When I turned around, my jaw dropped. It was her! It was 00V! My heart began to race like a car at the Indy Race 500. Did I mention I get a little nervous around beautiful women?

"Is that you on the wall? Uh, er, in the frame? I mean, in the painting?" I babbled. The woman flashed me a tiny smile. Or was it a smirk? Then she vanished. A delicate perfume lingered in the room. Wow, what a stunning woman! I wondered if I could ask her out for a cup of hot chocolate sometime. Too bad she disappeared so quickly.

I was still dreaming about 00V when Kornelius led me into the library. We sat on two comfy leather armchairs. Without a word, Kornelius patted the arm of his chair. Seconds later, the rug slid aside. We were sitting on top of a trapdoor! Before I could let out a cry, I found myself zipping down a steep dark tunnel.

"Tell me when it's over!" I cried.

 **Part Five- I'm A Secret Agent...**

Minutes later, we landed in an elegant living room. We were still seated in our armchairs, but now we were underground in a very mysterious place. I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Youch! That hurt! I may may not be a tough guy, but I do have one painful pinch. After I recovered, Kornelius, aka 00K, showed me all of his agent gear. This included a bow tie that turned into a rope, a ring filled with sneezing powder, and antigravity shoes. I was impressed and a little bit scared. Just then, Kornelius looked at me with a piercing stare. I gulped. Had I done something wrong already?

"Let me tell you why you're here," Kornelius began. He opened a little black case and took out a stack of newspapers. To my surprise, the articles were all about me. There was even a color photo of my in front of _The New York Gazette._ I have to admit, it wasn't a very good one.

"Are my ears really that big?" I muttered.

Kornelius shook his head. "Forget about your ears, Geronimo: you have more important things to worry about," he advised. "By reading the paper, anybody can figure out where you live, where you work, where you go on vacation, who your friends are. Your life's one open book!" "This is dangerous, Geronimo, " he continued. "If an evil person wanted to hurt you or play a mean trick on you, they would have no problem. It would be like taking candy from a child. You need someone to protect you. And I'm here to say, I'm your guy."

I felt flattered. I mean, it's not often that you have a secret agent friend who wants to be your own personal bodyguard. Still, I politely declined.

Kornelius tried to make a list of all the things that could get me into trouble, and when it was time to leave, Kornelius made me promise I would call him if I ever got into any trouble.

I grinned.

Aunt Sweet Sugarplum sure was right. A friend is a true treasure.


	3. Chapter 3

**What A Great Day!**

The next morning, I woke up feeling extra happy. I had good friends, a good family, and a great life. I gobbled down my breakfast and practically skipped out my door. A strong wind was blowing, but I wasn't going to let that get me down. I smiled, thinking about how I used to love flying kites when I was a little boy. The sun was shinning so I decided to walk to work. What a great day!

While I was walking, I thought about my friend Kornelius. He really didn't need to worry about me. Today, I was feeling more than double okay! The wind was blowing hard when I reached my office.

"Geronimo, don't forget that today there is an important meeting with the president of the New York City Historical Society and your grandfather," Priscilla Francis reminded me. Do you know Priscilla? She's one of the editors at _The New York Gazette._

Now I looked at her and frowned.

"Meeting?' I mumbled. "What meeting?"

Priscilla reminded me that the head of the historical society was coming to check out _The New York Gazette._ It seems they were doing research on the oldest building in the city. The _Gazette_ was on the list.

Crumbs! How could I have forgotten such an important meeting?

I threw open the door to my office. I had to get my notes prepared for the meeting. If I wasn't prepared, Grandfather would have my tail! I was so worried about Grandfather that, at first, I didn't notice anything different. Then it hit me. A cold gust of wind sent my hair whirling. Bother it! The night before I had accidentally left my window wide open! I watched in horror as the fierce wind picked up a large envelope with a red seal. The gust lifted the envelope off my desk and blew it straight out the window. With a cry, I tried catching it, but I was too late. My nose smacked down hard on my desk. Youch! I wondered if I'd ever be able to sniff again.

As I rubbed my nose, I told myself not to panic. After all, as the publisher of a newspaper, I was always getting tons of nutty mail. That envelope was probably from some wacky person wanting me to do a story on aliens or something similar.

 **I Think I Lost It**

At that moment, the door to my office burst open. "GRANDSON! The meeting has already started! What are you doing in here?!" a gruff voice yelled.

I gulped. It was my highly demanding, highly irritable, highly stressed grandfather, William Stilton.

A shiver ran down my spine.

"The meeting has started, You're LATE, LATE, LATE, with a capital L!" he screamed. The president of the _New York City Historical Society_ and the committee members are waiting for us. Let's move it. And, Grandson, try not to embarrass me. Got it?"

We sat at our usual seats in the conference room. Richard F. Rambles, the head of the historical society, cleared his throat.

"Ahem, welcome, gentlemen. Let's get started. I'll be brief..." he began.

I chewed my whiskers. Whenever anyone starts with, "I'll be brief," they usually end up blabbering on and on forever. In fact, that's exactly what happened. After a little while, I began to doze off.

I was awakened by a piercing shout.

"GRANDSON!" yelled my grandfather. "Are you sleeping?"

My face turned red with embarrassment.

"Did you hear what Mr. Rambles said?" he shrieked. "There is an incredibly rare and valuable document on your desk. It's in a large envelope with a red seal on it. Go get it. Now!"

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. How could this be happening?" The envelope with the red seal on it was no junk mail. It was valuable. Very valuable.

"Um, well, unfortunately, I, um, think I lost it," I whispered softly.

Grandfather threw a fit. "WHAT!? Get that wax out of your ears and listen up. I want that document here, on this table, by nine o'clock tomorrow morning! GOT IT? He shouted.

Everybody turned to look at me. I felt faint.

I saw shock in their eyes: disbelief, shock, astonishment, bewilderment, bafflement, annoyance, indignation, anger, sympathy, and pity.

What could I do? What could I say? I had to find that envelope. I just had to!

"I'll do my best," I coughed.

Then I slunk out of the room with my tail between my legs.

 **A Volcano Ready To Explode**

I got back to my office and collapsed behind my desk. Oh, how did I get myself into such a huge mess? I stared out the window. I could hear the wind roaring. It looked like a storm was brewing.

A few minutes later, Grandfather William headed into my office.

He didn't slam the door. Odd.

He didn't yell. Even more odd.

I braced myself. Talk about a storm brewing. I knew Grandfather William too well. When he was angry, he was like a volcano ready to explode. Like a water balloon ready to pop. Like a pan of popcorn ready to burst. Hmm... popcorn... My stomach began to growl. I was hungry for my midmorning chocolate muffin. But it would have to wait.

"Geronimo, do you have any idea what's inside that envelope?" he began.

I started to answer, but he interrupted me.

"It's the deed to this land!" He thundered.

"It's the only proof we have that we own the property. If some rotten person gets their hands on that envelope, we'll lose _The New York Gazette!"_

I closed my eyes. Oh, how did I get myself into such a mess?

 **How Hard Could It Be?**

After Grandfather stormed out of my office, I had a terrible nightmare. Well, it wasn't exactly a nightmare since it was only 11:30 in the morning, but you get the idea. A horrifying picture of Sally Rathbone flashed before my eyes. She was waving an envelope with a red seal screaming, "The _New York Gazette_ is mine, mine, mine!"

I felt awful. Like I had just lost everything: the newspaper, my job, my appetite. Well, maybe not that last one. After all, it was nearly lunchtime.

Just then, I noticed a photo of me on my desk. It was a shot of me climbing Mount Everest.

Suddenly, I felt a surge of energy. If I could climb a mountain as high as Mount Everest, how difficult could it be to find a silly old envelope?

By now, it was noon. I needed to find that envelope by nine A.M. the next morning. That meant I still had twenty-one hours. I grabbed a pen and paper and sat down to make a list. I love making lists. They help me to stay organized. I wrote down all of the things I needed to do.

Be calm. Ask friends for help. Call the weather people to find out the speed and direction of the wind. Trace a possible route on a map of New York City that the envelope might have taken. Get going! Important : Remember to take a supply of chocolate caramels.

I began to do the things written on my list : number one. Be calm.

Then I called my sister, Thea. The answering machine picked up. "I'm not at home. Leave a message. Beep!"

I called my cousin, Theo. His answering machine picked up, too. " I'm not home. Or if I am, I'm busy eating . I mean, cooking. I mean eating and cooking. Leave a message. Beep. "

I thought about calling my friend, Petunia Stephenson. She's so beautiful and smart. But I was too embarrassed. I didn't want Petunia to think I was a complete cheesebrain for losing such an important document. Instead, I tried my friend Burt van Duke. We had met at a survival camp in the jungle.

I got his answering machine. "I'm not in, but you might be able to find me in the Amazon. That is, if you don't mind a few hungry pythons and some killer quicksand. Beep! "

WHY, OH , WHY, WAS NO ONE HOME WHEN YOU NEEDED THEM?

For a nanosecond, I thought of OOK. But just like with Petunia, I was too embarrassed. Besides, I had already told Kornelius I didn't need his help.

"All right, don't panic, " I said out loud, trying to give myself a pep talk. " This means you will have no help. You will be all alone. And you will have to do everything by yourself. "

I put my head in my hands. Then I began sobbing uncontrollably. Guess my pep talk needed work. Lots of work.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm Your Biggest Fan!**  
After I stopped crying, I wrung out my jumper. Then I looked at my list again. I skipped over number one (Be calm), skipped over number two (Ask friends for help), and went straight to numbers three and four. First I found a map of new York City, and spread it out across my desk. Next I dialed the number for the local weather center.  
"Ahem, good morning. My name is _Stilton, Geronimo Stilton_. I need some information on the speed and direction of the wind in New York City from around nine o'clock to twelve o'clock..." I began.  
I was greeted by an excited squeal. "Oh, Mr. Stilton! What an honor! I am your biggest fan! I've read all of your books!" a female gushed. "Why do you need to know about the wind? Are you writing a book about it? Are you coming down to the weather center? Oh, I'm so excited. I would love to meet you. Maybe we can chat. Or do lunch. Or how about a movie?"  
I blushed. Sometimes I'm a little shy around my female fans.  
"Um, well, I don't have time to come there today," I explained. "I really just need to know the direction of the wind."  
"Of course, of course," she agreed. Then she told me the awful news. It seemed the wind had done something really strange this morning. It had changed direction every quarter of an hour! She fired off a list of speeds and times. By the times I got off the phone, my left ear was on fire, my hand was cramped, and I had made a date to go see **The Return of Godzilla.**  
Oh, why could I never say no to my female fans?

 **How Embarrassing !**  
Just then, I glanced at the clock . Good heavens! It was already two thirty. There was no time to waste. I skipped straight to number five: Get going! With a cry, I hurried outside as fast as my legs would carry me.  
I decided to check out New York City's port. It's a very busy place. It's where all of the big boats enter the city dock. Plus, there are tons of vendors selling fresh fish, fruit and vegetables. By the time I reached the port, my feet were throbbing. Did I mention that I'm not a very athletic person? Still, there was no time to rest. I had to find that envelope! I scoured every fishing boat. I patted down every fishing net. I even peered into the open mouths of 100 slimy tuna fish. What a stench! I could barely breathe. But I had to keep going.  
Then I spotted a row of garbage cans. Each one was filled with rotting, smelly fish bones. What could I do? With a groan, I stuck my face inside the first garbage can.  
I didn't notice a woman staring at me.  
"Aren't you _Geronimo Stilton_? " She said, wrinkling her nose.  
It was Petunia Stephenson's aunt. How embarrassing!  
A few minutes later, a very old man with a cane strolled by.  
"Aren't you _Geronimo Stilton_?" He said, shaking his head.  
It was my grandfather's old friend Bill. How embarrassing!  
I stuck my face deeper into the next garbage can, trying to hide. But a pretty young woman spotted me.  
"Aren't you _Geronimo Stilton_?" She said, looking shocked.  
It was Benjamin's schoolteacher. How embarrassing!  
I had made a fool of myself. And I hadn't even found the envelope! Two minutes later, a seagull swooped down and pooped right on my head. What next?  
 **ON TOP OF A STINKY MOUNTAIN**  
I sat on the sidewalk totally depressed. Just then, I heard a loud grumbling. My hair stood on end. Was it a killer whale? Was it a ferocious sea monster? Was this how it would all end? Headlines flashed through my brain: **CRAZED WHALE GRABS STILTON BY THE LEGS! STILTON SUCKED UP BY SEA CREATURE!**  
Then I realized the grumbling was coming from my tummy. I was starved! Too bad, I had forgotten the most important thing on my list: a supply of chocolate caramels. I stared at the smelly garbage cans feeling even more depressed. And that's when it hit me. No, not more seagull poop. This time, it was an idea. Where else could I find all the garbage in New York City? At the city dump, of course. If the envelope had fallen on the ground, it surely would have been swept up. Then it would go straight to the dump!  
Right at that moment, a garbage truck rumbled by. **I TOOK OFF LIKE LIGHTNING. LIKE A ROCKET. LIKE THE WORLD'S FASTEST MARATHON RUNNER**. Well, okay, maybe I wasn't that fast. In fact, I was pretty slow. But don't tell anyone.  
Before long, I reached the garbage dump. **WHAT A SIGHT!** The garbage was piled up a mile high. And it smelled than a cousin of mine's stinky breath. I climbed on top of a huge pile and rested.  
 **GARBAGE, MORE GARBAGE, AND... EVEN MORE GARBAGE**  
Just then, a truck arrived. And before I could scream, it happened. A whole mound of new garbage came pouring out of the truck. It all crashed down right on top of me! I began rolling down the hill like an out of control snowball. Oh, what a mess I was in this time. And I mean mess! I tried to grab hold of something, but all I got was a rotten banana peel.  
" **HELP**!" I screeched. " **I'M BEING BURIED ALIVE IN JUNK**!"  
Suddenly, I felt two strong arms pulling me out of the garbage heap.  
" _I'm here to help,_ " a deep voice said. At the same time, I smelled a delicate perfume.  
Hmm... it seemed so familiar.  
"Thanks," I mumbled before I passed out.  
When I came to, I was still at the town dump, but I wasn't rolling anymore. I looked around. I was alone. Who had saved me? And why did he disappear? It was a real mystery.  
I was still thinking about my mysterious rescuer when I noticed the wind had picked up. Thousands of pieces of paper began swirling all around me. At that moment, I spotted an envelope drifting right above my head.  
Could it be? It was! It was the envelope with the red seal- the one I'd been searching for!  
But just as I reached to grab it, it disappeared down a man hole cover.


	5. Chapter 5

**Down, Down, Down, Into A Sea Of Fowl Slime!**

What could I do? I had to get that envelope. With a groan, I lifted up the grate and lowered myself into the man hole. It was dark. So very dark. My teeth began to chatter. Did I mention that I'm afraid of the dark and tight spaces and the ding of the toaster oven? Oh, but that's another story for another time. I was wishing that I had worn the glow-in-the-dark tie my cousin Theo had given me so I could see a little better. Just then, I slipped. _Down, down, down_ I tumbled headfirst into the darkness.

After what seemed like a million years, I landed with a sickening splash. I found myself floating in a sea of slimy green liquid. The smell was worse than the town dump. Welcome to the sewers of New York City.

I dragged myself out of the water and looked around. No sign of the envelope with the red seal.

But I did see something. Something shiny and yellow. I blinked. A pair of glittering eyes stared at me through the darkness.

My teeth began to chatter. Who in their right mind would want to live down here in the sewer?

Just then, the creature cackled softly. Ha, ha, ha. Was it laughing at me? Was it going to pounce on me? Was this how it would all end?

I braced myself for an attack, but nothing happened. Instead, the yellow eyes took off into the darkness. At first, I was glad to see them go. Then I was even more scared. Without those eyes, the sewer was darker than a movie theatre when the lights are off. There was only one thing left to do. Follow those eyes. I chased them the entire night. I was exhausted. Finally they stopped, turned around, and started chasing me!

Rancid Sewer Water! Now what was I supposed to do?

"Ha, ha, ha," the creature cackled.

This was it. I was a goner. Oh why hadn't I let my friend Kornelius help me? He was right. I was no good at protecting myself. I was always getting myself into these jams. I mean, the last time I tried to bake cookies, I had been wearing a wig and a good portion of it got stuck in the oven. The burning plastic had set off the smoke alarm. I was so embarrassed when the firefighters showed up on my doorstep.

"HELP! HELP! Somebody help me!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. Meanwhile the yellow eyes zoomed closer.

Suddenly, I realized who they belonged to: an enormous crocodile! And even worse, it was holding the envelope with the red seal in it's ferocious jaws! I closed my eyes and wished for a miracle. I could hear the crocodile gnashing it's teeth. Its breath smelled like rotten meat. Hadn't this guy heard about the dangers of tooth decay?

I was still thinking about teeth when someone grabbed me by the shoulder.

"I'm here to help," a familiar voice said. Again, I smelled a delicate perfume.

I opened my eyes, but it was too dark. I could only see the eyes of the crocodile. They were staring right at me. The croc looked hungry. Very hungry.

"Good bye, world," I sobbed. Then I fainted.

When I came to, I was back on the street. It was already dawn. I looked all around me but didn't see anyone.

Who had saved me?

Why did he disappear?

It was a real mystery.

 **Up, Up, Up... Into Sally Rathbone's Office**

I sat on the curb feeling totally confused.

What had just happened to me?

How did I get out of the sewer?

Who was my mysterious rescuer?

But above all, what happened to the envelope with the red seal that was between the crocodile's teeth?

Do you know what happened next? A miracle. A real miracle. I looked up and there it was- the envelope! The wind had picked it up and carried it high above my head.

IT FLEW HIGHER AND HIGHER.

An instant later, it slipped into an open window.

Oh, this wasn't good at all. That window belonged to my biggest enemy, Sally Rathbone. Do you know Sally? She is the owner of _The Daily NYCN._ Her dream is to put _The New York Gazette_ out of business. Now what was I supposed to do? Sally would never let me into her office. Firstly, I was covered in stinky, smelly slime from the sewer. And secondly, Sally hated me!

I glanced at my watch. It was eight-thirty. Yikes! Only thirty minutes left!

That's it, I decided. I had no choice.

 _I'm going in._ I slunk up the steps of _The Daily NYCN_ and squeezed through the doors. I DID IT! I was in! I was so proud of myself I barely noticed where I was going. Before I knew it, I was standing right outside Sally's office.

I peeked inside. Sally was seated behind her huge crystal desk. The desk was empty except for one thing. I gulped. It the envelope. The envelope with the red seal.

I was just about to dash in and grab it when Sally spotted me. Or should I say smelled me.

 _"Geronimo Stilton!"_ she screeched.

"What are you doing here in my office? You smell worse than inside of the horse stables." Just then, she realized I was staring at the envelope.

"Hmm, I see I have something you want," she cackled. She picked up the envelope and fanned her face. "I don't know what it is, but it's mine, mine, mine!"

I groaned. I should have known Sally would never give up without a fight. I tried every trick in the book.

"Fire! Aliens! Run for your life!" I yelled. But Sally didn't budge.

Then I had an idea. "Sally, I hate to alarm you," I whispered. "But you broke a fingernail."

That did it. Sally flew into a frenzy. "Where, where?" she shrieked.

In a flash, I grabbed the envelope. I raced for the door. But I wasn't fast enough. Sally grabbed me by the leg, tripping me up. The wind caused the envelope to fly from my hands, and I watched in horror as it drifted out the window.

I felt my heart sink. This was it. I'd never find that envelope again. I was a dead man, and maybe sooner than I thought. Sally's muscular bodyguard was staring at me like I was a piping-hot three-cheese pizza!

"Hoffman, please take Mr. Stilton away. And make sure you teach him a lesson he'll never forget," she ordered with an evil smirk.

Hoffman lifted me into the air with one arm around my waist. Blimey, that guy was strong! I mean, I'm nt the heaviest guy in the world, but I'm far from being the lightest guy, to. Plus, I have to admit lately I'd been cheating on my diet.

Hoffman carried me down the hall. Then he locked me inside the broom closet.

"I heard you liked dark places," he snickered.

I felt dizzy. My hands started to sweat. My heart began to pound. I began to sob uncontrollably. "Somebody help me," I wailed.

Suddenly, I heard a _click_ and the door opened. I felt someone grab my shoulder.

A deep voice said, " _I'm here to help."_

The same delicate perfume I had smelled before filled my nose.

I tried to say thanks, but I couldn't. I had fainted again.

 **THE CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUS RESCUER**

When I came to, I found myself outside. I was sitting on the sidewalk in front of _The Daily NYCN_. It was 8:45. I looked all around me, but I didn't see anyone.

Who had saved me?

Why did he disappear?

I felt like I was on one of those true-life MYSTERY shows on TV: _The Case of the Mysterious Rescuer._

Too bad, everything wasn't going to work perfectly in the end. I still hadn't found the lost envelope with the red seal. I stared at the ground feeling glum. My grandfather would never let me live this one down. I'd be humiliated in front of all of my co-workers. I'd have to leave _the Gazette_. I'd have no money. No job. I'd wander the streets looking for food. Well, at least I knew how to get to the town dump. Maybe I could find some scraps of mouldy food.

A tear slid down my face. Then another and another. Soon, I was bawling my eyes out. Just then I felt someone touch my shoulder. At the same time, I smelled that perfume again.

" _I'm here to help_ ," a deep voice said. And then it hit me. No, not more garbage. Not more seagull poop. It hit me who the voice belonged to. I jumped off the curb and whirled around. I was right!

The voice belonged to my old friend, Kornelius. Yep, I was face to face with 00K and the fascinating 00V!

"How can we help you?" they asked.

"I let out a long sigh.

"I've lost an envelope, a very important envelope," I moaned. "And now my grandfather's going to kill me!"

For some reason, Kornelius, AKA 00K and his sister _, Veronica_ , AKA 00V, looked at one another and smiled.

"A large envelope?" said 00K. "With a red seal?" said 00V.

My jaw hit the ground. These Secret Agents were unbelievable! I had no idea they were mind readers.

I nodded, awestruck. Then Kornelius handed me something. My eyes nearly popped out of my head.

IT WAS THE ENVELOPE!

"But... How... When... What?" I spluttered.

Kornelius just grinned. "We secret agents work in mysterious ways," he said.

His sister, 00V, nodded.

I wondered if they could read my mind now. I was so happy, I felt like I had just won a lifetime supply of Chocolate Caramels!

 **COUNTDOWN, FIVE, FOUR, THREE...**

Suddenly, I remembered the time. I glanced at my watch. Crikey! It was 8:55 A.M.!

I only had five minutes to get the envelopes to my grandfather. I took off as fast as my feet could carry me. I was a man on a mission- a mission to save my skin! I flew up the steps _to The Gazette_ , raced past my office, and headed straight for the conference room. By the time I reached the door, I was sweating like an overweight man on a treadmill. My feet were aching. And my heart was beating so hard, I thought it might pop right out of my chest.

I flung open the door to the conference room just as the clock chimed nine. I wasn't surprised to see my grandfather waiting for me. Did I mention that he's a stickler for punctuality?

"Here it is, Grandfather," I huffed, waving the envelope in the air. Then I collapsed in a heap.

"Well, well, well, Grandson. I wasn't sure you had it in you," my grandfather smirked. "But it looks like you passed my test with flying colours. You see, Geronimo, the envelope you have contains _a copy_ of the original document. I've had the original here with me the whole time. I just wanted to see how much _The New York Gazette_ meant to you. And now I can see, it means a lot."

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

But it didn't matter. Due to shock, I had already fainted.

 **A TRUE FRIEND...**

They took me home on a stretcher.

I was exhausted. I slept all day and all night for 24 hours straight. The next day, 00K came to see me at the office. I was fresh and clean, no longer smelling of fresh sewer sewerage.

I told him how silly I felt.

"I should have admitted that I needed your help," I confessed. "But there's one thing I still don't understand. What made you follow me even after I told you I could take care of myself?"

Kornelius laughed. "We secret agents have a sixth sense, Geronimo." He winked. "Plus, you always had a knack for getting yourself into trouble when we were little. Remember the time you accidentally flew off that swing at recess?"

How could I forget? I got stuck in a humongous sticker bush. YOUCH! My skin hurt just thinking about it.

Before Kornelius left, he gave me a present. It was a special satellite phone to wear around my neck.

Now all I had to do was press a button to contact my friend. I told you my aunt Sugar Plum was right: Whoever finds a friend... Finds a treasure!

 **AN: Finally, this is finished. Let me know what you thought :)**


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